The Maine Black Bears baseball split a two-game series against the UMBC Retrievers baseball on April 24 and 25 at Mahaney Diamond, falling 3-2 in the opener before responding with an 8-5 win in the second game.
In game one, UMBC struck early, scoring two runs in the first inning and adding another in the third to take a 3-0 lead. Maine struggled to generate offense in the early innings but began to find momentum midway through the game.
Second-year catcher Shane Andrus put the Black Bears on the board in the fifth inning with a solo home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Black Bears continued to apply pressure late in the game, scoring again in the ninth inning when Andrus delivered a sacrifice fly to bring the difference within one point.
Despite the late push, the Black Bears were unable to complete the comeback, falling 3-2. Offensively, the Black Bears recorded six hits, with multiple players contributing, including third-year infielder Nic Pepe and fourth-year outfielder Brody Rasmussen.
On the mound, third-year pitcher Jason Krieger pitched five innings, allowing three runs while striking out five. Fourth-year pitcher Pierce Friedman provided strong relief, holding the Retrievers to just one hit over four scoreless innings to keep Maine within reach.
In game two, the Black Bears responded with a strong offensive performance, collecting 14 hits en route to an 8-5 victory.
The Retrievers again opened the scoring, taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Maine answered quickly, tying the game in the bottom half of the second inning on an RBI single from second-year utility Jack Quigley and a sacrifice fly from Pepe.
The Black Bears continued to build momentum, taking the lead in the third inning and extending it in the fourth and fifth. Andrus added an RBI single, while timely hitting and aggressive baserunning helped Maine maintain control of the game.
Maine’s offense broke the game open in the sixth inning, when Rasmussen delivered a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 7-3.
UMBC attempted to rally late, scoring twice in the eighth inning, but Maine responded in the bottom half when graduate outfielder Juju Stevens hit a solo home run to provide an insurance run.
On the mound, fourth-year pitcher Gianni Gambardella earned the win, pitching six innings and allowing three runs. The bullpen closed out the game, with fourth-year pitcher Sebastian Holt recording the final outs to secure the victory.
Rasmussen led the way offensively in game two, finishing with four hits and three RBIs, while Stevens and second-year outfielder Quinn Murphy each contributed multi-hit performances.
The split reflects Maine’s ability to respond after a close loss, as the Black Bears bounced back with a strong performance in the second game. The Black Bears showed improvement offensively, capitalizing on scoring opportunities and generating consistent pressure at the plate. The series also highlighted Maine’s ability to compete in close games and generate offense across multiple innings, particularly in game two, where the team consistently applied pressure at the plate.
As the season continues, Maine will look to build on the momentum from the series finale and carry that performance into upcoming matchups.
